1. Technical Field
This invention relates to drying devices and, more particularly, to a foot drying device for quickly drying a user foot when same has become wet.
2. Prior Art
The prevention and cure of athlete's foot (mycosis) and verrucas on the soles of the feet (two of the ten most common skin complaints in this field), require constant, lengthy and costly treatment by a dermatologist. Athlete's foot and verrucas are very easily transmitted, given the physical and biochemical characteristics of the microorganisms that cause them (fungi and viruses of this nature develop in the presence of moisture). These infections recur frequently and are difficult to treat with conventional means based on creams, topical solutions of imidazolic derivatives, oral medication, etc., which, although effective, are long and relatively costly.
Moisture on the feet plays a very important role in the transmission of the condition. As such, easy and thorough drying of the feet is fundamental to its treatment, in order to prevent the transmission of microorganisms and help in the eradication of the cause. Proper drying can actually help both in the prevention and the cure. Since humidity offers the ideal condition for their multiplication, drying of the feet is one of the principal recommendations in the treatment of different cases of the above mentioned diseases, taking into account that the causative, agents are very unstable in a warm, dry environment.
Although most individuals can take the drying of their feet for granted, there are some that find this task much more difficult than what it seems at face value. For instance, a person suffering from severe back pain will find it rather difficult to bend over in attempt to reach their toes. Similarly, a pregnant woman may also find that bending to reach her toes for drying purposes is not an easy task. Often, people in these situations need the assistance of a second individual for proper drying of their feet.
In an attempt to alleviate this problem a number of automatic foot drying devices have been introduced into the prior art. One prior art invention shows a device that dries feet by means of passing hot air onto the user's feet. Such a device includes an upper and a lower chamber. This lower chamber houses the ventilating mechanism which has an air intake for the fan that is driven by an electric motor fed by a cable. Such a fan effectively generates the draft necessary for the drier to work. Unfortunately, airflow only passes over the soles of the user's feet, neglecting, for the most part, the upper portions and toes of the feet. Thus the device does not perform a thorough drying job, especially when one considers that the areas between the toes are most susceptible to bacterial, viral and fungal growths.
Accordingly, a need remains for a foot drying device in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a foot drying device that is convenient and easy to use, is light weight yet durable in design, is versatile in its applications, and is effective for drying an entire surface area of the user's feet. Such a device releases hot or cool air to thoroughly and completely dry the person's feet, and serves as a time- and energy-saving alternative to conventional methods of drying feet, like toweling.
The device advantageously eliminates the need to bend over or lift feet to dry them with a towel, which can be particularly beneficial to the elderly, physically impaired individuals, and pregnant women, to name a few.